Daniella Pellegrini

Daniella Pellegrini (born 25 September 1982) is a South African television presenter, producer, and dubbing artist.^[1]

Pellegrini was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and is the youngest of four children. She attended Rivonia Primary School, where she began acting in school plays, and later completed her secondary education at Eden College in Hyde Park. She subsequently earned a communications degree at Rand Afrikaans University, majoring in Journalism, Human Movement Studies, and Communications.^[2]

Pellegrini started gymnastics & tumbling at the age of three and had a 16-year career. By the age of seven, Pellegrini was selected to join the Advanced Development Program. In 1992 Pellegrini qualified for the 11th Tumbling & Trampoline World Championships/World Age group Games.

Due to the Apartheid government and international pressure, South Africa had been exiled from international sports competitions for almost a decade. Pellegrini, alongside tumblers like Tseko Mogotsi, was one of the first competitors to join the South African national team, to receive Springbok colours, and to represent her country on an international platform. She won a bronze medal at the 1992 World Age Group Games in Auckland, New Zealand.

Throughout the next decade of competing at an international level, Pellegrini represented South Africa on the national tumbling team 8 times winning 56 medals and 15 trophies. ^[3] In 2002 Pellegrini received a university scholarship.

After 8 years of retirement from international sport, Pellegrini began competing again as a competitive fitness athlete in 2010. She won debut competition FAME UK 2010^[6][7] as well as the 2010 Fitness Britain Fitness Championship.^[8]

Daniella's TV presenting career began in 1999 when she joined e-TV as a kids TV presenter on Craz-e. In 2003, Pellegrini joined Vicious Delicious, a magazine show that broadcast on DStv on channel 'GO',^[9] the country's first ever youth channel. Pellegrini interviewed DJs Paul van Dyke, Paul Oakenfold, Ferry Corsten, and Tim Deluxe, along with bands like Sepultura.

While studying her bachelor's degree and working for RAU Radio in 2002,^[10] Pellegrini joined 5FM Music on an radio DJing training program. Later that year, Pellegrini came runner up in the 94.7 Highveld Stereo Hot Jocks Competition. At the end of 2002, Pellegrini was offered to co-host a radio show on Edgars Music Radio. In 2003, Pellegrini was selected to be the anchor presenter on CNA Live. In 2004, Pellegrini signed with 94.7 Highveld Stereo^[11] as a presenter. In 2006, Pellegrini relocated to London and joined the online station Radio SA.

Daniella's work as a voice artist includes TV promos, commercials, radio station IDs and corporate presentation promos for global brands and animated characters. In 2002, Pellegrini became the voice for SABC 1, which was at the time the public broadcast channel with the highest viewership figures. Pellegrini has voiced projects for/with global brands including Fox, FX, National Geographic, Fox Retro, NatGeo Wild, Sony Entertainment Television, Animax, Walt Disney, Nickelodeon, Ministry of Sound, BBC World, Guide Dogs, DStv, GO, Vicious Delicious, Sheer Dance, DJ Online, SAfm, Radio 2000, Rennies Travel, JNC, Garnier, and Laundry Monsters.

In 1998, Pellegrini joined the SABC in her first professional acting role on Sasko Sam, a children's educational fitness show and worked on other smaller productions as well as music and corporate videos. In 2006, Pellegrini moved to London and continued to study acting, accents and comedy. She has worked on a number of short films including Strange Meeting^[12] and the feature Superman: Requiem.^[13]

In 2010, Pellegrini began producing. Eight months after she was cast in Superman: Requiem, she was invited to join the production team.^[14] Daniella's debut film as a producer 'Once Were' is an improvisational acting short. She currently has several projects in different stages of development.

• Official website
• Daniella Pellegrini at IMDb